Afterlife with Tea
by Ryth76
Summary: A teashop owner and his mysterious customer spend time together during the festival for the anniversary of Ozai's defeat. Iroh/Chiyo. A Naruto/Avatar x-over. Revamped.


**A/N: Once again, a Naruto/Avatar crossover. It's not at all what I had in my head. It rarely ends up that way. Oh well. This is old people love. Iroh and Chiyo. Because older people need romance, too. Takes place after Chiyo brings back Gaara.**

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**Afterlife with Tea**

It was a lazy summer day in the mighty city of Ba-Sing-Se. Iroh gave a sigh of satisfaction, leaning back in the seat that seemed nearly too small for his powerful broad back. A day's work paid off with a hot cup of his famous brew. Though during the summer more and more people opted for cooler comforts during the hot days, every table of the Jasmine Dragon had been packed.

Today was a special occasion, so even the customers who would stay into the late hours moved out to join the festivities in the streets. Performers dressed in tradition costumes of the four bending nations clasped hands and danced down the road, tossing streamers into the air in celebration of the current peace.

All, that is, but one. The strange little old woman sat in the back, gray hair drooping like curtains around her face as she looked down at the cup with steady expression. Iroh smiled to himself. It wasn't every day he had a peaceful cup of tea with an intriguing stranger, and she fit the bill to a T.

He walked to her and asked if he could sit with her.

* * *

Chiyo, as the odd lady's name turned out to be, sipped her fresh cup of tea as Iroh closed the shop and sat down to join her. He commented, observing her strange attire and accent, "You do not seem to come from any place I have been. You must have traveled far to reach Ba-Sing-Se."

"Who knows? Last thing I remember was bringing back a child I wronged."

This was a very strange thing to say, but Iroh decided it would be wise not to press it. If it was important, she would explain in detail, but for now it sounded like something he shouldn't trespass on. He sipped his sinfully delectable Ginseng tea as he considered what she could mean.

The woman looked out the window into the paved roads brimming with life. "It seems there is a festival going on."

"Yes, today is the anniversary of the end of Sozin's war." Seeing her cup empty, he poured her a new one. He added with some regret, "I'd hoped to celebrate this day with my nephew by my side. But…" he added before his words could ruin the peaceful mood, "it is nice to enjoy this day in peace and quiet with a lovely acquaintance." He emphasized with a charming grin.

Chiyo set her teacup down with a barking laugh.

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The shop owner joined her in a walk around the festival. Being the renown retired kunoichi she was, Chiyo watched him from the corner of her eye as a precaution. Iroh seemed nice enough, but even she had heard about the apparently kind and gentle Yashamaru's assassination attempt on a young Gaara. Of course, back then she had only cared that the Kazekage was trying to rid the village of the Shukaku and thus aggravate their situation further. She hadn't thought about how it must have devastated the child, nor given him a second's thought either way. Not until nine years later when she met his friend, Uzumaki Naruto.

Despite being a stout shop owner, she could recognize in his steps the power behind them. The aging warrior carried himself with the dignity of a war hero and with a cunning light behind his eyes. When he stepped in front of her, Chiyo could see the muscles in his broad back rippling. He would've been quite a catch in his younger years. Perhaps enough to make her younger self melt at the knees.

They stopped to watch a puppet show telling the story of how they won the war. "Avatar?" Chiyo inquired. She couldn't think of where she had heard that. The air that had escaped the dead Kazekage's lips as she pressed her hands down on his cold chest, forcing her life-force into his stiffening body…?

"I will explain to you on our second date," Iroh answered with a playful drawl.

Chiyo raised an eyebrow. "You move fast, don't you?" As the muscular aging man wrapped a blanket over her shoulders as the heroes of the puppet show danced for joy, embraced, and bowed to the cheers of the dirty faced children, she added flirtatiously, "I'll think about it."

Being dead did have its perks after all. Especially the Jasmine Dragon and the man called Iroh. Hopefully, Gaara didn't mind returning to the harsh world of Sunagakure too much…

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**A/N: Revamped the story a little. Changed the first scene a bit, changed a couple words in the last part, and cut out a line in the second part.**


End file.
